Apprentice
by Emily Black
Summary: A new teacher has come to Hogwarts and is working on an assignment for the Order. Will love join her with the greasy Potions Master, or will the Death Eaters get in the way? Rating may go up! R/R!


Disclaimer: I don't own anything here, except perhaps the situations that our hero and heroine find themselves in. The rest belongs to my heroine, Ms. J.K. Rowling, who, in my opinion, is a literary genius.  
  
Apprentice  
  
Pairings: None yet  
  
Summary: A new teacher has come to Hogwarts and is working on an assignment for the Order. Will love join her with the greasy Potions Master, or will the Death Eaters get in the way?  
  
Prologue  
  
"It is my honor to welcome you all to another year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry," the deep voice of Albus Dumbledore echoed around the Great Hall. It was so quiet, one might think it were empty. That of course, was because it was empty, except for Dumbledore and the Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher, new this year, of course.  
  
She was a beautiful young witch with long auburn curls cascading down her back. Her cinnamon eyes sparkled as she looked around the hall in amazement. It was the first time she had ever looked at the Great Hall since she had graduated. She drifted into thoughts of her graduation, but was quickly snapped back out by the silky voice of none other than the Potions Master, Professor Snape.  
  
"Headmaster, Professor, I do hope I am not interrupting," he said as though he hoped he was. The voice was familiar, as she had spent seven long years in his classes, yet today, it seemed a little different. Void of the cruel malice he used when calling her an insufferable know-it-all, like he had done for years.  
  
"Go ahead, Severus, you are not interrupting anything," replied Dumbledore with a twinkle in his eye.  
  
"Headmaster, I was thinking that now would be a good time to go over your.idea." Snape started, saying the word "idea" with a possible hint of sorrow in his voice before quickly, "with our newest Professor," he finished with a hand wave towards her as she was mentioned.  
  
"Very well, Severus, very well. I know that you disagree with my plans, Severus, but I think that in the long run you will understand why we should do this. Sometimes the biggest risks have the greatest rewards in the end," Dumbledore returned, staring straight at Snape as he trying to convince him his plan was for the greater good. "You go along with Severus. We are working on a project for the Order that we would really love your assistance with. Severus will tell you all about it. Go along now, and do try to be on time for the Sorting. It would be nice to have the new teacher present when I introduce her!" Albus laughed as Severus glided off towards the dungeons, the anxious new teacher at his heels.  
  
Down in the cold dungeons that were Severus' home, Hermione Granger shifted uncomfortably in her seat. She had only been in Snape's office once, and it was without his permission. She noticed a feeling of foreboding the room gave off. She shivered.  
  
'Wait,' she thought with relief, 'I can't get in trouble anymore, I'm a professor!'  
  
"Miss Granger," he said with the air of one who had woken up on the wrong side of the bed at two in the morning and never got back to sleep, "No, no, Professor Granger," he spat, sarcastically emphasizing "Professor". "The headmaster has asked me to work with you this year on a secret Order mission. As you know, the Dark Lord's followers are still at large, even after his and Mr. Potter's deaths last year." He paused as Hermione tensed up. Harry had fought and died killing the Dark Lord, and she still wasn't completely done grieving her best friend's passing. She finally forced a smile, and Snape continued. "So, in order to capture the final band of Death Eaters, the Order is involving everyone in several missions. Many just need to be trapped down, while others, such as Lucius Malfoy, will need to be caught using.alternate methods. That is where you, as well as myself, come in."  
  
Hermione sat and took in everything Snape had just said. She knew that he had been a double agent and that Voldemort had never known. None of the other Death Eaters ever found out, either. Judging by what he had just said, Hermione figured that she was going to be doing some undercover work as well. She sat in silence, wondering what it would involve.  
  
Snape continued finally, "You will become a spy. The remaining loyal Death Eaters think that you are Harry's girlfriend. So, what we will have to say is that I helped you out of depression," long pause inserted here, "fell in love," another long pause, "and I convinced you to join our side. They will believe, I am sure, because they are so desperate to gain support right now." He stopped talking and looked into her eyes, hoping that she would respond.  
  
It took her a while to get used to this information. She would have to pretend to date Snape. That was insane! He was twenty years older than her. He was her greasy, malicious, ex-Potions Master. She was a young girl fresh out of school with plenty of potential. Why would she fall in love with him?  
  
"Why would I fall in love with you?" The words came tumbling out before she could stop them. "I mean, the age difference and all," she said, trying to cover herself.  
  
"Nice attempt at a save, Miss, umm, Professor Granger. I see your point. Why would a young Gryffindor beauty fall in love with the old Slytherin beast?" Hermione looked into his eyes and his expression was something unlike anything that she had ever seen before. It looked torn between anger and self-pity.  
  
"Severus," she started, wanting to make up for what she had slipped up saying, "If I may call you Severus," she paused as he gave her a small nod, then continued, "I really did not mean that. All I meant was that it doesn't seem very likely that a twenty year old fresh out of school and best friends with the defeater of Voldemort would date a Death Eater twenty years older than her. It was not meant to say that you are a beast."  
  
Hermione, feeling guilty she had just lied to him and had, even to herself, called him greasy, looked up at him, trying to seem believable. She look at his hair, feeling a little more guilty when she noticed it really wasn't as greasy as she had always thought it was.  
  
After a moment of silence, Severus snapped back into life and continued. "Now, Hermione," he started, unsure of how she would react to him calling her by her first name. She did not give him any sign that she was uncomfortable, so his speech picked up speed again. "I think that there are a few things we will need to go over if we will be working together. First of all, we need to get all of our details worked out to our little love story. Secondly, I need to teach you Occlumency as it will be necessary that the Death Eaters do not catch on to our little scheme. Lastly, I need to fill you in on exactly what we will be up against. What kind of people we will be with. What sorts of situations you could be faced with. For your own safety, mainly." He paused, and she sensed a hint of sorrow in his voice.  
  
"Severus, I am willing to do this. Anything for the cause, right? I mean, Harry already gave the major sacrifice, and I want to help out as much as I can," she said, trying not to get teary in front of her old professor. This meeting was really getting to be strange. First there was the awkwardness, then the misunderstanding when Hermione had blurted out what was on her mind, and now she was about to cry! She then said, in a very business-like tone, "Is there anything else?"  
  
"We will have to come up with a plan of attack," he returned in a tone that matched hers only an octave or two deeper, "This stage will probably come after our first meeting. We will need to know what we are dealing with, as well as whom, before we can decide the most effective way to defeat them."  
  
"Severus, is there a timeline we are trying to keep on track with, or are we just done when we are done?" Hermione asked, trying to soak up every detail she could.  
  
"Well," he replied, the corners of his mouth tugging upward, "I think the Order would be appreciative if we finished in ten years!" He let out a deep laugh.  
  
She laughed, too, thinking. 'Had Severus Snape just made a joke?'  
  
"Actually," he stated, "They have asked if we could try to do this within a years time, which I think is quite reasonable." She nodded, and they again slipped into a semi-uncomfortable silence.  
  
Severus rose from his seat behind his desk after a few moments. "We better be heading up to dinner. Remember what Albus said," he said, coming around the desk.  
  
Hermione pushed herself up from her own seat and left the office, Severus right behind her. It was going to be an interesting year, to say the least.  
  
A/N: Hey all! I hope you all enjoy this story! I am also working on another right now, trying to multitask! The other one will be a Remus/Hermione/Severus triangle involving a teaspoon of hidden secrets, a little pinch of a betrayal, a tablespoon of Time Turner troubles and a whole cup of a diary of a certain Gryffindor prefect in the Wonder Trio's sixth year! I will be posting that soon, so please read! I really hope y'all will take the time to review! I really enjoy hearing from my readers! Review!  
  
This story is being continued by a friend, RE16. The rest of the story can be found at Thanks!  
  
Love to all,  
  
CrazySwimmer 


End file.
